Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-14
PART I.-CHAPTER VI.


Captain Willis had not entirely dis
posed of his cargo of sailed fish at
Havana: he had about a fourth of it
still on board. He had learned that
there was a good market for it at
Nassau, and he had resolved to take
the Bahamas on his course home and
dispose of this surplus.
He had often sailed this course
along the Cuban coast to Matanzas,
thence up the Bahama Channel, Port
Abace and Elethnera, and SO out into
the North Atlantic. Nassau was but
two days'sail, provided the winds were
what he might reasonably expect at
this season.
But well as he knew the route, we
find him now with his charts spread
out on the cabin table, locating the
many islands of this group, and care
fully examining the various channels
and passes. 1t was Captain Willis
boast that he had never lost ship;
and, certainly, if care, and study, and
good seamanship could avail, he was
not likely to.
Satisfying himself, for the present,
about the course, he put away the
charts. Looking out from the cabin
bull s-eye on the starb Jard side. he saw
ten miles away over the sparkling
waves the mountainous coast of Cuba.
The bark was bowling along before a
southwesterly breeze; he was at sea
again; he shook off in moment all
disagreeable thoughts of the harsh but
necessary event of the morning, and
indulged in some pleasing reflections
of the profits that he was likely to
make on this voyage. Unlocking q
small locker in the side of the cabin,
he took out two canvas bags and
weighed them in his hands. They were
heavy; they we'll might be, since each
was full of Spanish and Mexican gold
pieces. He carefully replaced the bags
in the locker.
The bells sounding the hour from the
deck told him that it was now four
o'clock. He remembered his promise
to the mate to return in an hour. As
he put on his hat to go above,
thought of Louis occurred to him. He
had not seen him since the tragic incl
dent of the morning. What could the
boy mean by stunning him at such a
time? His conduct had been so strange
lately that the Captain was seriously
troubled by it. Considerably agitated
by these reflections, Captain Willis was
about to 60 on deck, when he heard
smart rap at the cabin-door. The mate
entered in answer to his bidding.
well. Mr. Hardy-any troubled" he
said, Il was just coming up"
NO particular trouble, sir, but some
things have happened that You ought
to know. I've put the mulatto at the
wheel, and left Purvis to watch the
deck for ten minutes, till l could tell
you"
"Quite right, Mr.. Hardy. Now out
with it."
well, sir, in the first place, that
mulatto. You know the story he told
about his being green hand?'
Yes
Hes no more greenhorn than you
are, sir! He tries to work slow and
clumsy; but every motion satisfies me
that he's an old hand, and knows every
rope and spar in the ship"
81 thought as much"
sBut that isn't all. You know, sir,
I'm an old sailor, and know pretty
much every thing about sailors ways.
I've been in pretty much every sea, and
in the South Pacific learned all that
there was to be learned about tattoo
ing. [ suppose know all the marks
that sailors use to distinguish each
other. Well, sir-the mulatto rolled
ND his sleeves to take the wheel-and
there on his right arm above the elbow
was the true Isle of Pines mark"